World Ice Dance Heats up !

I was so impressed with the Programs and progress of Capellini /La Notte this year ! Hey, I've admired them for some time , so it was sweet.I can hardly wait to see what they'll do next.

OTOH, I was sorely disappointed the Russian Teams.But now with the news that B/S will be moving to Zhulin ,and that R/T will be working on and off with Z/S and having Marina set their programs , I'm pretty excited..( I was hoping R/T would be the next Russian trial balloon )

Happy 21st Birthday today to Alex Shibutani!
Looking forward to a good season ahead for Maia and her bro.

Speaking of the Shibs - does anyone feel that if they don't think outside the box for next year - that Hubbell/Donohue may challenge them at US nationals...and with Zoueva basically having her hands full with D/W and V/M...do the Shibs get shortchanged?

Speaking of the Shibs - does anyone feel that if they don't think outside the box for next year - that Hubbell/Donohue may challenge them at US nationals...and with Zoueva basically having her hands full with D/W and V/M...do the Shibs get shortchanged?

I think Hubbell/Donohue are still quite a ways from the Shibs, both nationally and internationally. At Worlds, the Shibs basically had a meltdow in the FD and H/D only beat them by about two points. If the Shibs were in their usual form, the gap between them would have been about 6-8 points. At nationals the Shibs beat H/D by 27 points.

I'm not saying it will never happen, but I don't see it happening in the short term. H/D have a lot of promise and they did quite well for their first season together, but the Shibs still have a lot to bring to the table -- great technique, great posture, chemistry (a different kind that comes with being brother & sister and skating together for a long time) and an amazing work ethic.

As for whether the Shibs get shortchanged, I don't think so. In fact, I feel the opposite you do. I think because V/M and D/W are at such a high level that S/Z don't necessarily need to hold their hand all the time and perhaps could devote more time to their other couples.

Also, the Shibs may be young, but the have a good sense of what works and what doesn't. That's why you saw them basically rework nearly their entire SD after GPF.

(Of course, it's no secret on these boards that I'm a huge fan, so I am somewhat biased me thinks, but I truly believe that while they struggled this year, they will come back strong next season).

I'm excited for all the movement going on with the young Russian teams. Also, I'm looking forward to Lake Placid to see where the U.S. newer teams stand now. I'm sure that while Team USA was busy at Worlds and WTT, everybody else at home was busy readying their programs and working on their skating skills and YP.

If all the trends continue for the first time in Olympic Ice Dance a Russian team will not medal and it will be in Sochi! It looks like the 2012-2013 season the last pre Olympic season will see radical and total overhauls for most Russian teams. From new technique on technical elements to new styles of progams. Seeing their total overhauls will be an interesting sideshow as V/M, D/W continue to dominate with P/B in a weakening but steady third. It would be interesting if W/P continue to improve or go lower or if S/S go back up. Then you have the Russian teams. It was supposed to be good because of the Sochi Olympics but best they can do at worlds is bare fifth because of course you have C/L of Italy who were just tenths away from I/K.

Speaking of the Shibs - does anyone feel that if they don't think outside the box for next year - that Hubbell/Donohue may challenge them at US nationals...and with Zoueva basically having her hands full with D/W and V/M...do the Shibs get shortchanged?

I don't think Zoueva will shortchange the Shibs, but H/D may challenge them. I was thinking that after Worlds too.

Mrs. P, I agree that the Shibs will stay ahead of H/D. But, to play devil's advocate.

1. Your assertion of six to eight points brings me back to 2009. D/W were six points behind B/A. Six points now is more than six points than (gap wise) without the CD, though.

2. The top three K/C teams scored higher levels than the top three Shpilband/Zoueva teams (and this is giving the Shibs their usual level four twizzles) at worlds

3. On the other hand, the Shibs have a HUGE advantage with the step choices. The Yankee Polka and the Finnstep are squarely within their wheelhouse - you couldn't politick better choices than that (so, kudos to Shpilband, definitely)

More generally.... Russian Ice Dance took a huge step into the unknown. B/S move to Zhulin. Not a politically wise choice, but a terrific choice for their development. That they didn't fall for the Kustarova line means they understand how hard they actually have to work (always good). I/K took a step into the forefront this season at worlds, but can they keep it? What if R/T get the expected benefits of Shpilband (levels - generally - and speed?. If Sinitsina/Zhiganshin follow the migration, where do they end up? And just where are Monko/Khaliavin in development?

There is reason to believe that the 2012-2013 season for Russian Ice Dance could be even worse than 2011-2012 was. There is just a total obvious panic going on as no one believes a Russian team will medal in Sochi. Or at least not better than 3rd. It's not like a Zhulin B/S will all of a sudden be in second or even first place. That he could fix all his twizzle problems and all her posture problems and just there basic dullness to many.

These are all young people working their butts off to improve, and two years is a long time. I can't believe they'll all improve at the same rate. I love ice dance because it's not only a sport, but a fashion show as well, not to mention a soap opera.

Some couple may drop from the clouds, like Hubbell and Donohue did this year, there may be shocking splits like Samuelson and Bates, or Crone and Poirier. Someone may 'waste' a season by sticking with an unfortunate choice of progam. There may even be a 'shooting star' hidden in the junior ranks.

These are all young people working their butts off to improve, and two years is a long time. I can't believe they'll all improve at the same rate. I love ice dance because it's not only a sport, but a fashion show as well, not to mention a soap opera.

Some couple may drop from the clouds, like Hubbell and Donohue did this year, there may be shocking splits like Samuelson and Bates, or Crone and Poirier. Someone may 'waste' a season by sticking with an unfortunate choice of progam. There may even be a 'shooting star' hidden in the junior ranks.